South Coast, Jamaica

to start, i've been to all 14 parishes of jamaica, so i know jamaica. the area you're talking about is a very nice laid back area of jamaica. it's st. elizabeth parrish. one of my favorites. it's the breadbasket of jamaica. most of the 'ground provisions' are from there (much of the food source). calabash bay is basically treasure beach. nice, friendly area. i really like it there a lot. very little hustling (hard sales or begging). whitehouse is even less of a 'town'. it's just a stop on the road (less restaurants and things to do [not that treasure beach has that much to do]). it's like a dry savannah. not the jungle in protland parish. the beaches are nice all along the coast. it's dark sand. my wife loves to lay on the beach for a tan, and though the sand was dirty... it's not really dirty, just darker than the standard white or yellow sand you may be used to.

one more thing. get a car and see the area. there are a lot of things to do there. don't sit in your villa. go out and have daily adventures. see y.s. falls. go to middle quarters for the pepper swimps (nice, hot fresh water shrimp). go to lover's leap!! a 1500' drop from the edge of the santa cruz mountains to the sea. really cool. the drive from alligator pond to milk river bath.. cool! a days drive to negril is nice. drive up to the cockpit country! north of maggotty and troy. absolutely beautiful. (takes a day.) see mandeville, a cool town about 1000' high. very different than much of jamaica. black river is cool. gingerbread type carvings on the old houses. so many things in this area to see. too many to name here. you will love it.

jamdownron;

Thank you very much for the reply........we have been wanting to get to the South Coast and we are definitely going now. Getting out of your villa is key. This will only be our third trip to the island but getting out and exploring is a must for us. We are actually taking two other couples who haven't been before. It's amazing how they are getting fed info that they are crazy to go there and how violent it is. Amazing!
We were definitely planning a day trip to Mandeville, didn't think about Maggotty and Troy..........
Thanks again for the info....and I may try picking your brain as things get closer.

Thanks.

KB

Actually, Calabash Bay is only one of the 5 villages (Fort Charles, Billy's Bay, Frenchman's, Calabash and Great Bays) that make up
Treasure Beach coastal area (with farming hamlets inland); and any bay except Calabash will be considerably more private, with
better beaches and gentler swimming waters. One can walk anywhere, without qualms, in the area -- as well as mt.bike, moped
or use local drivers/boatmen to explore. Whitehouse is on the main with villas clustered either on the hillside or in South Seas
--both developments -- with walking anywhere not a possibility both in terrain and what to see. The local Treasure Beach community Web site lists all villas,inns,guesthouses and small boutique hotels at http://www.treasurebeach.net

i'd be glad to help. i was thinking that mikeymike might respond. it's one of his favorite places. and he has very good advice too. try your question again in a few days in case he's been away for a while.